OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix OneDrive or SharePoint Removing EXIF Metadata from JPG Files

Amos Gikunda Sep 25, 2026 868 views

Question details

User notices that EXIF metadata, such as geolocation data, is stripped from JPG images after they are uploaded to OneDrive or SharePoint.

How to Stop OneDrive or SharePoint from Removing EXIF Metadata on JPG Files

Product: OneDrive and SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Uploading local JPG files containing EXIF metadata to Microsoft 365 cloud storage services.
Observed behavior: JPG files retain their EXIF metadata on local drives but lose it once uploaded to OneDrive or SharePoint.

Before you start

Ensure you have kept copies of the original JPG files on your local drive to compare the metadata before and after the upload process.

Solution 1Recommended

Isolate the Issue and Contact Microsoft Support

Determine exactly when the metadata is lost and open a support ticket from the Microsoft 365 admin center for further investigation.

EXIF metadata might be removed during the initial upload, background synchronization, cloud image processing, or upon downloading. Because this behavior is often tied to hidden tenant configurations or service anomalies, Microsoft support intervention is required.

Compare local and downloaded files

Right-click the original local JPG file, select 'Properties', and check the 'Details' tab for EXIF data. Download the same file from OneDrive/SharePoint and repeat the process to confirm exactly when the metadata is lost.

Access Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Go to portal.office.com and log in with your administrator credentials. If you are not an administrator, you must ask your IT department to perform this step.

Open a support ticket

Navigate to 'Support' > 'New service request' in the admin center. Describe the metadata loss and request the support team to examine your tenant configuration and service logs.

Isolate the Issue and Contact Microsoft Support

For Non-Administrators: Only Microsoft 365 administrators can open support tickets regarding tenant-level configurations or service logs.

Solution 2

Zip Files Before Uploading to Bypass Image Processing

Compress your JPG files into an archive before uploading to prevent the cloud service from processing the images and stripping the EXIF data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint remove geolocation from images?

SharePoint and OneDrive may strip certain EXIF data like geolocation due to built-in privacy configurations on your tenant or during the automated background image processing used to generate web thumbnails.

Can I recover the lost EXIF data from files already in OneDrive?

If the metadata was stripped during upload and the cloud version was the only copy saved, the EXIF data cannot be recovered from the cloud. You must restore it from a local backup if available.

Are there other file types affected by metadata loss in SharePoint?

While JPG and PNG files are most commonly affected due to image processing features, video files (like MP4) might also experience missing metadata fields depending on the specific upload method and tenant settings.

Document & File Issues